Ficus benjamina is a beautiful but somewhat capricious plant that can often be found in our homes. It’s great if the plant looks healthy and decorates the apartment with its appearance, but this is not always the case. Sometimes, for unknown reasons, the leaves of Benjamin's ficus fall. Why is this happening? How to help the plant in this case?
What causes leaf fall in ficus
Why does leaf shedding happen? First of all, there are natural reasons for this.. In nature, in autumn and winter, the Benjamin ficus begins a period of leaf fall. Its foliage is gradually exchanged. Old leaves fall off in a small amount every day, and new young leaves quickly appear in their place.
Ficus Benjamin sheds leaves if:
It is very important to determine exactly the reason why the leaves fall off. Only then can you help the plant regain its lush foliage and attractive appearance.
We identify the cause
Ficus benjamin sheds leaves, what to do? If you still have not guessed what care mistakes led to leaf fall, it's time to take action. We will give you some tips that will be useful to both experienced growers and beginners.
First of all, determine the condition of the soil. If it is dry and has a cracked crust on the top layer, the ficus is definitely thirsty, so it sheds leaves, saving moisture. If the earth is too damp and an unpleasant smell emanates from it, you have flooded the plant. The surest solution would be to transplant the ficus into a fresh substrate. If you don't have time to do it yet, just stop watering the plant so that the soil in the pot dries out.
If the plant has not been fertilized for a long time, fertilize with mineral fertilizers. In order not to burn the roots, the flowers are fertilized some time after watering, in moist soil. If the ficus dropped its leaves after rearrangement, then it is necessary to use stress medications. Means such as Epin and Zircon will increase resistance and restore the plant's immunity. These drugs need to wipe the leaves, they are not used under the root.
You have carried out the above measures, why is there still no result? Most likely, the problem is in the roots. Take the plant out of the pot and inspect the roots, they may be damaged by pests, or thoroughly rotted. In this case, it is better to cut out the affected areas by powdering the cuts with crushed coal, and plant the ficus in a pot of a suitable size.
Other symptoms
The plant can respond to diseases, pests and improper care not only by dropping leaves, but also by other symptoms:
First aid for a sick plant
When a ficus sheds its leaves, first of all, it needs proper care. But only this measure cannot get rid of pests and diseases. At the first sign of illness, do the following:
Ficus sheds leaves, what if there is no desire to use chemistry? In this case, you can try proven folk recipes that will help get rid of both pests and rot.
Processing with garlic infusion is considered an effective way. To prepare it, prepare 1 liter of boiling water and a few cloves of garlic, rubbed into a fine grater. Garlic gruel is poured with hot water and infused for 1-2 hours under the lid. Strain the finished infusion and use it daily for spraying until the ficus is completely healed.
The second method involves the use of an aqueous solution of laundry soap with the addition of alcohol. For 1 liter of water at room temperature, add 1 tablespoon of soap shavings and medical alcohol. The mixture is then shaken until the chips are dissolved. All aerial parts of the plant are sprayed with the finished solution, and after 12 hours the tree is rinsed with clean water, this is necessary so that the soap film does not clog the stomata of the leaves and the plant can breathe normally. In the future, these actions are repeated 1 time in 3-4 days.. The earth in a pot is covered with plastic wrap before the procedure.
As a rule, two weeks is enough to cure the ficus. Weak garlic solution it is also recommended to spill the soil in the pot, just in case pests hide there.
Ficus benjamina is a popular houseplant in the Mulberry family. Variegated leaves and falling branches of the plant attract the eye and do not leave indifferent. Ficus is used to decorate the interior of houses, apartments, offices and shops.
This flower is unpretentious, but still, it requires compliance with certain rules for care. If the cultivation technology is violated, the plant begins to hurt. At the same time, the leaves change their appearance and begin to fall off. This happens due to several common circumstances.
A fairly common cause of lethargy and yellowing of the leaves is an excess of moisture.
If the stem of the plant also darkened, and the soil began to exude an unpleasant odor, the reason for this, in addition to an excess of moisture, is the imbalance of the soil mixture, the presence of pesticides in the soil, or the wrong feeding technology.
Ficuses are very sensitive to cold and react to it by turning yellow and dropping foliage. You need to buy ficus in the warm season. This will prevent the plant from freezing. The acquired flower cannot be placed on a cold tiled floor, since its root system suffers the most from this. In addition, the leaves may turn yellow and fall off when the leaves come into contact with the window glass in winter. The flower pot must be installed at some distance. The leaves of the plant should not touch the cold glass.
To avoid stress from changing external conditions, you need to allocate a permanent place for the ficus and rearrange it only when absolutely necessary.
The best place for a flower is the windowsill on the east side. To avoid sunburn, you need to check that direct sunlight does not touch the flower.
A plant transplant can help fix problems. Young ficus need to be transplanted annually. This is done in the spring.
An adult flower needs to be transplanted once every 3-5 years, as the roots grow and fill the pot space with them. The diameter of the new flower pot should be 3 centimeters larger and the depth 5 centimeters. Drainage and nutrient soil are placed at the bottom of the pot. A flower is set on top, and the earth is filled up. The soil after falling asleep is slightly compacted. When the soil settles or is washed out, the soil can be poured to the desired level.
For growing ficus, you need to use a high-quality soil mixture enriched with nutrients. The soil composition should match the composition from the previous pot, this will make it easier for the plant to transfer the transplant.
If the ficus Benjamin's stems begin to darken and the leaves fall off, it is best to transplant the flower. If traces of rot are visible on the roots, they must be carefully cut and processed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
To increase the resistance and better resistance of the ficus to various adverse external influences, anti-stress agents such as Epin, Zircon are used. These drugs are diluted in water and administered after watering.
If the leaves are drying due to the dryness of the air in the room, this can be corrected by spraying the plant. Once every 2 months, a warm shower can be arranged for a flower. To protect the roots from waterlogging, the pot is covered with plastic wrap. From dust, the leaves are wiped once a week, for this a damp sponge is used. This contributes to better flower development.
With a lack of light, a fluorescent lamp is located next to the plant.
The temperature indicators in the room for a comfortable growth of ficus should be at around 20 to 29 degrees Celsius in summer and at least 16 degrees in winter.
For additional nutrition of the flower, once every 15 days, the ficus is fed with mineral and organic fertilizers. You can buy special dressings for ficuses or universal fertilizers for indoor flowers. In summer, top dressing is reduced to 1 time per month.
In winter, ficus does not need to be fertilized, the plant practically does not grow at this time. For winter feeding, a flower can react with leaf fall.
To obtain a lush green mass for the plant, foliar top dressing is performed. Fertilizer is added to the water and used when spraying the flower.
There are quite a few problems of growing ficus, if you look at it. The plant begins to dry and grow poorly due to a number of reasons. This may be the result of improper care, disease or pest damage.
Leaves can curl with sunburn, freezing of flower roots and lack of nitrogen fertilizers in the soil. You can eliminate problems with an excess of sunlight and cold by rearranging the plant in another, more suitable place. In case of a lack of top dressing, the application of the necessary fertilizers will help.
Diseases and pests can also cause yellowing, twisting inward and falling leaves.
One of the common diseases that provoke leaf curl are cercosporosis and anthracnose.
Fungal disease cercosporosis often occurs at high humidity. The disease is manifested by black dots on the leaves. Leaves turn yellow and curl over time. To solve the problem, watering the ficus is reduced. The affected areas are removed. After pruning, the plant is treated with an antifungal agent.
Anthracnose appears as rusty spots on leaf blades. Leaves curl and fall. You can solve the problem with the help of fungicides.
In addition to diseases, pests can also harm a flower. Aphids, nematodes and other pests suck the sap from the plant and weaken it, leading to flower disease.
Aphids, in addition to damage to the flower, can lead to the development of viral diseases of the plant. To eliminate the problem, the plant is thoroughly washed with soapy water, and all damaged shoots are removed. After drying, the ficus is treated with Pyrethrum.
Nematodes can be recognized by the lethargy of the flower. These pests damage the root system of the plant. By releasing toxins, they lead to a deterioration in the appearance of the flower. The leaves wither or curl, the plant gradually dies. To recognize pests, the ficus must be removed from the pot and inspect all the roots. On them you can see small beads-nematodes. Insecticides are used to eliminate the pest. The plant is transplanted into a new land.
Ficus benjamina can shed its foliage in late autumn or winter. The leaves usually fall off from below.
Sudden temperature changes, drafts and a decrease in room illumination very often lead to a sharp drop in foliage in a healthy plant.
Lack of moisture can provoke massive leaf fall. The plant in this case is trying to compensate for the lack of water in the soil. Adjustment of watering allows you to get rid of this problem. For this, warm and necessarily settled or filtered water is taken. You need to water the plant after drying the top layer of the earth in a pot.
Watering in winter should be reduced from 2 to 1 time per week. Irrigation is carried out no more than 1 time per week. If the air temperature in the room drops below 16 degrees, watering is reduced to a minimum, and irrigation stops. Before each watering, the soil around the flower must be loosened. This will allow water to penetrate the soil faster and avoid moisture stagnation.
Leaves may turn brown due to improper watering. Excess or vice versa lack of moisture leads to darkening of the leaves. Transplanting a plant and normalizing watering allows you to get rid of the problem.
If brown spots appear on the leaves, this may indicate damage to the plant by pests or flower disease.
Mealybug manifests itself by a white cotton-like coating on leaf plates. Brown round spots appear on the leaves. This beetle sucks juices from leaves. They begin to darken, wrap up and wither. The plant stops growing. To remove the pest, the plant must be washed under warm water. After the ficus is treated with soapy water. In case of severe damage, the flower is sprayed with Confidor, Actellik preparations.
When a scale insect appears on a flower, brown spots appear on the inside of the leaves. Ficus sheds leaves when damaged. Rubbing the leaves with vodka or infusion of garlic allows you to get rid of the pest and prevent the appearance of fungal diseases. In case of damage, the top layer of soil must be cut off and replaced with a new one, since pest larvae may remain in the soil.
Without timely processing of the flower, a soot fungus may develop on the leaves. It manifests itself as a sticky coating and dark spots on the leaves. Without timely treatment, this leads to the death of the flower. The fungus can be removed from the foliage with soap. Each leaf is wiped with a soapy sponge. The plant is treated with Actellik.
A disease such as botrytis appears on the leaves as yellow-brown spots with a dark border. You can eliminate the disease with antifungal drugs.
Gray rot can be recognized by a dust-like coating on the leaves. Later, dark, almost black marks appear on the leaves. The damaged part of the ficus dies off. To eliminate the infection, you need to remove the damaged areas of the flower.
The leaves can also dry around the edges due to frequent watering. Reducing the amount of moisture allows you to correct the situation. If the soil is waterlogged, the flower can be transplanted; if this is not possible, the top layer of soil in the pot must be cut off and new soil added. A good drainage system and loosening of the earth makes it easier to pass water to the roots, nourishing the plant and not retaining excess moisture inside the pot.
Direct sunlight can also cause the leaves to dry out at the edges. By removing the flower to another place, you can easily get rid of this problem.
Why Benjamin's ficus sheds leaves: video
A ficus that sheds its leaves is not necessarily sick. Before taking drastic measures, you need to understand the problem. The plant sheds old leaves in due season, so that new ones grow in spring. Approaching the cultivation of ficus Benjamin with responsibility, there are no problems with this. The plant gratefully responds to good care and pleases with lush and beautiful foliage.
Ficus benjamina is one of the most popular houseplants. He fell in love with many flower growers for his chic appearance and variety of varieties. But this inhabitant of the tropics is very capricious and fastidious in care. Of all the existing plant species, Benjamin's ficus sheds leaves more often than others. They, despite their beauty, are weak and painfully responsive to any unusual environmental influences.
Why ficus Benjamin crumbles
Dropping a small number of lower leaves in winter and autumn is a natural and inevitable process. But if the ficus Benjamin leaves fall profusely, then you should look for the cause, which most often happens several at once.
Causes:
Adaptation.
A plant purchased in a store is most often grown in greenhouse conditions and has survived transportation. It will take more than a month for him to adapt to the new climatic conditions, which will be different from the usual ones at home.
Any ficus can react negatively to a change of location, subsequent transplantation and pruning.
Excess or lack of moisture.
With excessive watering, when the topsoil does not have time to dry out, Benjamin's ficus sheds leaves that acquire a dark color. Also, young shoots can rot and completely die off.
With insufficient watering, the plant becomes brittle, the leaves curl up, turn yellow and fly around.
Weak lighting.
For active growth and well-being, a flower needs a long daylight hours, so in the cold season, when there is less natural light, it can stretch towards the window, dropping foliage from the lower shoots. Varieties of variegated ficus are especially picky about lighting. In winter, they can turn yellow and lose a lot of foliage.
Dry air.
Why does Benjamin's ficus shed its leaves while in a warm room? The reason, most likely, is dry air, which becomes so with the constant operation of heating devices. The same can happen in hot summers. Plants do not tolerate these conditions. Their leaves turn brown, wrinkled and fall off quickly.
Cold and drafts.
Sharp fluctuations in temperature or its drop to 16 ° C is dangerous for heat-loving ficus. When in the cold, he gets frostbite, as a result of which the branches break off, and the foliage falls off.
Drafts are also his worst enemies, and they can even arise from the air conditioner.
Lack or excess of fertilizers.
Plants should not be fertilized too often - a large amount of chemicals is tantamount to poison. But a lack of nutrition can lead to shredding and falling leaves.
Diseases and pests.
When dropping leaves, you need to carefully examine the ficus to detect possible pests. If none are found, then you should pay attention to the color of the leaves - often its change indicates a disease of the flower.
Ficus Benjamin crumbles - what to do
When the reason why Benjamin's ficus leaves fall is clear, you need to start fixing the problem. Knowing the vagaries of a delicate flower, this trouble can be completely prevented. To do this, you need to follow some rules.
Considered purchase.
Before buying a flower, you need to pay attention to its conditions in the store. At home, it is necessary to create an atmosphere as close as possible to the previous place of cultivation. So, if the ficus was chosen in a specialized store or nursery, where comfortable air humidity was maintained for it, and artificial lighting was used, then these conditions must be repeated at home. In the absence of such an opportunity, it is better to purchase a flower in a store where there are no special devices.
In order not to injure the plant with a temperature difference, the purchase must be made in the warm season.
Creation of favorable conditions.
Ficus Benjamin needs to equip a suitable place in the house. It is desirable to make it permanent and exclude further movement of the flower.
Be sure to protect the plant from drafts. They, even the most insignificant, can greatly harm the heat-loving Benjamin. Places on window sills and at doorways are not suitable for its maintenance. It is worth considering well how the plant will feel in the summer - it is protected from fans and air conditioners.
This tropical plant is accustomed to a long daylight hours, so when it is reduced, it can lose foliage. If possible, it is better to place the ficus closer to the lighting or purchase a special lamp for it. But you should avoid direct sunlight, as some types of ficus can get burned.
ficus care
If the flower began to drop foliage, be sure to check the soil. Perhaps he does not receive the proper amount of moisture or the pot is too small to contain him. In this case, the plant must be urgently transplanted, otherwise the foliage will become faded and begin to fall off.
Another problem can be overwatering. With an excess of water in the substrate, the ficus begins to rot from the roots, lose foliage and young shoots. With a constant accumulation of water in the pan, you need to moderate watering and take care only of spraying the plant.
If the cause of leaf fall is pests, then this will immediately become noticeable. This is usually facilitated by spider mites, scale insects or mealybugs, which, when examining the stems, are easy to recognize and destroy.
When no obvious reasons are found why Benjamin's ficus sheds leaves, you need to pay attention to the soil - ficuses often suffer from a lack of magnesium. In this case, the soil must be fertilized with a solution of dolomite flour or magnesium sulfate. The ideal feeding time is from May to September when the plant is in its active growth phase.
After a major overhaul in our apartment, my beloved ficus suddenly began to massively shed its leaves. Frightened of losing my favorite indoor flower, I delved into the study of special literature.
There I read that the ficus reacted in this way to the change of place: before it stood on a shelf, and after the repair I moved it to the windowsill. Since it can’t be returned to its original place, I gave it top dressing, sprayed it a little more often than usual.
Fortunately, the ficus has adapted to the new place, stopped shedding leaves and was able to return to its former beauty. In this article, I will tell you why a ficus can shed its leaves and how to save it.
Ficus Benjamin refers to delicate plants that are hard to endure the change of their residence. That is, it is very, very undesirable to move them around the entire apartment, as well as to twist around its axis, as it gets used to a certain angle of illumination and temperature.
If you still need to move it to a new place, then you need to do it slowly, moving it step by step daily. If, nevertheless, the ficus was abruptly moved to a new place and, indignant, he dropped the foliage, then you should not be upset. The following days you need to patiently water and spray the plant, after a while the ficus will calm down and stop being exposed.
It is best to buy ficus in the summer, when the air temperature on the street and at home is identical, otherwise in winter, on the way home, it is difficult to tolerate a sharp change in temperature.
Therefore, during transplantation, the flower must be freed from the old soil, but without exposing or damaging the roots. After that, the flower pot must be placed in a permanent place where optimal lighting and ideal temperature are maintained, then it can quickly adapt.
If, after the purchase, the ficus is not transplanted, then in a few days it will begin to shed its leaves due to unsuitable soil. Since the soil for transportation does not contain substances useful for growth.
Lighting
The homeland of the ficus is the tropics, which means that it is very sensitive to light and begins to fly around in shady places. But he also does not like direct sunlight, because his leaves can get burned. For him, the most ideal place would be a place near the east or west window.
A pot with this delicate flower is initially best placed in a well-lit place so that the sun's rays do not fall there. It is better to forget about dark places altogether, otherwise soon only branches will remain instead of a lush plant.
If the leaves are variegated, then they need more light. Such a plant tolerates penumbra worse than monophonic counterparts. In the winter season, it would be nice to organize artificial lighting above it from lamps with a power of no more than 20 watts. The lamp should hang above the plant at least 30 centimeters.
In winter and on cloudy days, the lamp above the ficus can be turned off around the clock, then the plant will not suffer from a lack of lighting.
The more successfully the ficus pot is placed, the more magnificent and healthier its leaves will be.
Temperature
Since ficus is a tropical plant, therefore, the most ideal air temperature for its growth is from +20 to 27 ° C. In winter, when it goes into a dormant phase, it can easily endure a drop in air temperature to +16 ° C. This, if there are no drafts, which the flower is very afraid.
If the air temperature jumps up or down a lot, then the plant reacts to this by dropping foliage. The ideal for him is a stable temperature.
In addition to a draft and a sharp change in temperature, the ficus is afraid of:
- Point entry of hot or cold air.
- The flow of cold air from the side of an open window or window.
- Proximity to a hot battery.
In the latter case, it is undesirable to put the ficus on the windowsill, since with a hot battery there is a desire to open a window for ventilation. Then these two currents of air, hot and cold, can destroy a tender plant.
Watering
Ficus, although it loves spraying, does not tolerate dry air, does not like it when water stagnates in a pot, because of this its roots become rotten.
Therefore, during transplantation to the bottom of the pot, it is necessary to fill the drainage. And the plant should be watered only after the top two centimeters of soil have become dry.
But if you often forget to water the plant, then it can react with exposure, as it does not absorb nutrients from the soil. To prevent the plant from reaching such a state, you can put a special automatic watering in the pot.
If it cannot be installed, then next to the ficus you can put any container filled to the top with water, which will evaporate over time, thus moisturizing the plant. Just do not forget to replenish the container with fresh water from time to time.
Water for irrigation should be at room temperature, otherwise the leaves will fall off from cold water. It must be remembered that in summer it is necessary to water the plant more often than in winter, since in its tropical homeland autumn is a dry period.
In order for water to flow well to the roots of the plant, the soil must sometimes be loosened with a fork, but carefully so as not to damage the roots. Otherwise, the petrified soil will block access to the roots of oxygen and a sufficient amount of moisture.
And also ficus does not tolerate dry air. If possible, install an automatic humidifier or mist the plant more frequently.
top dressing
The most important element of any plant. Since not every soil can provide it with all the necessary minerals, therefore, for optimal plant growth, it needs to be fed occasionally. But in this case, it is important to know which fertilizer is ideal for a particular plant.
We already know that ficus is a delicate plant, so it is imperative to feed it. If for a long time it is simply watered with water, then around the plant the number of discarded leaves will increase over time, which lacked minerals.
Usually, ficus is fed in spring and summer with a special top dressing for ficuses, but if it is not in the store, then any fertilizer for non-flowering house plants containing nitrogen, which is necessary for the growth of green mass, will do. From spring to early autumn, it is enough to give top dressing every two to three weeks.
It must be remembered that after transplantation, for the first time they give top dressing only when the plant has adapted to a new place. In winter, you can not feed it so that the plant rests and gains strength.
In the case when a round-the-clock illumination is installed above the plant, it will also need top dressing in the winter period, since the ficus does not rest, but continues to grow. In this case, use half the dose of fertilizer.
Diseases and pests
If the ficus is not properly cared for, spitting on the required air temperature or irrigation rules, then it can easily get sick or pick up pests that can completely destroy the plant.
Of the fungal diseases, Benjamin's ficus most often gets sick with rot, which affects the roots, killing the entire plant. This fungus is very fond of the soil, which never dries out, thanks to the grower, watering the plant excessively often.
To understand that the plant is sick with root rot, you need to slightly dig out part of the root, in the case of this disease, the roots acquire a dark brown coating and become soft. To save Benjamin, he is completely transplanted into fresh soil, removing and treating all infected roots.
If all the roots are infected with rot, then in this case there is nothing to save. The flower can only be thrown away.
If a black coating is noticed on the leaves, then this is a sooty fungus that appears from the secretions of insect pests. If these spots are few, then the leaves are washed with a sponge dipped in soapy water. Severely affected leaves are cut off, and the root and stem are treated with a fungicide. To prevent fungal diseases once a month, it is recommended to water the plant with a weak solution of manganese.
If the air humidity is too high, Benjamin can become ill with powdery mildew, the appearance of which is evidenced by white spots on the leaves. To get rid of this fungus, reduce the humidity of the air and spray the plant with a solution of copper sulfate.
To enhance the effect, 2 g of a solution of copper sulfate in a liter of water is mixed with 10 g of soda and 2 g of laundry soap. Before spraying, another liter of water is added to the solution.
Of Benjamin's pests, spider mites, aphids and mealybugs are most often attacked. They all leave traces on the leaves, by which it is easy to determine which pest spoils the plant.
To get rid of these insects, you need to wash each ficus leaf with a sponge dipped in a solution of laundry soap. To prevent this solution from getting onto the soil, the ground with a pot is well wrapped with polyethylene. Usually this method is enough for the pests to leave forever.
But if they returned after a short period of time, then in this case a more aggressive method, for example, an insecticide solution, will help get rid of them. But we must remember that before using these methods, it is necessary to carefully identify the cause so that the ficus does not get sick again.
In excellent conditions, the ficus lives up to fifteen years, each of its leaves lives for about three years. Therefore, do not be afraid if suddenly the ficus sometimes sheds old leaves. You need to be scared only when their number has increased dramatically, and new ones do not grow.
Plants are not stones and it happens that sometimes they begin to get sick. When Benjamin's ficus sheds its leaves, it is a request for help, a signal that something wrong is happening with your favorite flower and you need to urgently save it.
Why leaves turn yellow and fall
The explanation for the problem can be anything from a change in temperature to a pest or disease. The effectiveness of the treatment of ficus benjamin is directly related to the recognition of the reasons why the leaves of the plant fall:
- When the environment changes, in particular when the plant moves from the store to a new home. As a person, the ficus becomes agitated, stressed and sheds its yellowed leaves. Often the reason for the suffering of a flower is that the hostess transplanted it into a new pot or cut it off. If you are sure that this is the problem, just do not touch the plant, try to provide it with the most comfortable conditions for it. Ficus benjamin stops shedding leaves when acclimated.
- Usually the answer to the question of why Benjamin's ficus sheds leaves is because the rules for caring for it have been violated. Very often, the flower loses leaves due to waterlogging. The root system begins to rot, the ficus ceases to receive a sufficient amount of minerals, its well-being begins to deteriorate. The flower fades. The reason for waterlogging often occurs in the summer, when the plant needs more water and flower growers can inadvertently overdo it. Fortunately, in this case, you can save the flower.
- If in summer Benjamin's ficuses are waterlogged, then in winter and sometimes in autumn they dry out due to the fact that they start to be watered less. During the summer days, the plants dry out faster, of course, if they are not watered, but during the dark, long winter nights, the problem is exacerbated by the lack of sunlight. The last problem can be fixed.
- The brown spots that appear on the leaves most likely react to direct sunlight. Most plants do not like when the sun's rays fall on them and prefer to grow in partial shade. This factor must be taken into account when choosing a place for pots.
- Brownish spots may appear for another reason: due to frostbite. Ficuses do not like the cold. If the ficus benjamin's leaves began to fall off while the apartment is frosty, it needs to be moved to a place that is more comfortable and warmer. In any case, remove from the windowsill from the frost-covered ice window. The flower also does not like drafts, so you should not put them where there are often drafts.
- The reason that the leaves turned yellow may lie in improper or insufficient care, which includes, in addition to watering, transplants. Also, ficuses need to be fed from time to time.
- Why does the foliage crumble if the care of the plant is proper and other reasons are excluded? Probably this time the problem is pests and fungal diseases.
Proper care is the key to plant health
The leaves of ficus benjamin turn yellow and fall off most often due to insufficient care. How should the plant be cared for?
- Find in the apartment a good, warm place for a flower. It should be in a bright place, but the rays should not fall on the leaves. A green pet must be protected from drafts. If ficuses decorate the window sill, the window must be covered with tulle;
- To keep the leaves green, you need to maintain an acceptable temperature level. In summer, the optimum temperature is 16 - 20C. In winter, ficuses can live at 12C, but it is strictly not recommended to lower it below. To keep the foliage from falling, you need to put artificial lighting and possibly move the flowers closer to the heaters.
- From time to time it is worth arranging spraying the plant with plain water - it will not hurt. For convenience, you can buy a humidifier.
- Watering requires regular, but moderate. Overfilling causes suppuration of the roots, underfilling causes drying. Stick to the golden mean, as Democritus said: "If you go beyond the measure, then the most pleasant will become the most unpleasant." Check how wet the soil is before watering.
- Fertilizer is an important part of plant care. Just like with watering, you need to adhere to the measure. An overabundance of supplements will not lead to anything good, as well as their complete absence. What kind of fertilizer a flower needs is a difficult topic, but it is still possible to find the answer to it on the Internet, something like www ficus fertilizer ru. Sometimes a salesperson in a specialty store can help, although not all consultants have the necessary knowledge.
- Transplants will be needed periodically. Beginners may need to read and watch a few articles about ficus care. In the search for articles on the desired topic, html elements on Yandex will help.
In some cases, it will be possible to reanimate a wilted plant, the main thing is to catch yourself in time.
It is quite possible to grow ficuses at home without spending much effort, just do not forget that another creature now lives in the house.
Ficus diseases
After all the care taken, the leaves turn yellow? With a high degree of probability, the flower got sick or was attacked by a pest. Among diseases, 2 fungal diseases most often threaten the life of a plant:
- Root rot. The once green leaves have turned yellow and are rapidly darkening? Branches and trunk rot? Is there an unpleasant smell coming from the pot? These are all symptoms of root rot. The cause of the disease is waterlogging of the soil. Sometimes the disease is caused by a lack of oxygen: make sure that a crust does not appear on the surface of the earth. It is still possible to save a drying flower, especially if treatment is started as early as possible. First check the condition of the roots: if all the roots have become completely dark and soft, this sufferer can no longer be helped. Otherwise, carefully cut off the affected roots, then sort through the foliage, ridding it of part of the leaves. The latter is necessary to facilitate the recovery of ficuses: so they can not take care of maintaining extra leaves, but will recover. That's not all. Falling leaves cannot be stopped without transplanting the plant into a new, spacious pot with clean soil. Use fungicides for the last time and never over water again.
- Anthracosis. A serious disease that can lead to the death of a plant in a matter of time. First, dark spots appear, and then they become ulcers. A deadly disease can still be cured at home, the main secret is to start treatment early. To save the life of a green pet from falling off and death, you need to cut off the affected leaves, leaving only completely green ones. After that, carefully treat the ficuses with fungicides, adjust the humidity in the room and reduce the amount of watering. Another disease similar to anthracosis is cercosporosis. Its symptom is that the flower turned yellow and shed its leaves. Ficuses are treated for cercosporosis as well as for anthracosis.
Most illnesses, as you can see, first arise due to improper care: waterlogging or some other reason. Carefully monitor the appearance of the plant in order to “seize the moment” in time. As soon as the tips of the leaves turn yellow or stained, and the trunk darkens, start looking for the cause of the problem and treat. You can try to revive dried plants, but it’s still better not to bring ficuses “to the handle”.
With simple tricks, ingenuity, attentiveness and patience, you can overcome any ailment that threatens ficuses. Now you know what to do when leaves fall on such a flower and how to avoid it.
